Chapter 20 In Seek of Dào
What do the twelve animals of the Earthly Branches represent?
And what lies at the end of this corridor?
In this dim corridor, stretching endlessly into darkness, everyone moved forward with trepidation. After enduring several rounds of grueling {games}, they were physically and mentally exhausted. Now, with the sudden shift to a seemingly less threatening environment, the ever-present aura of death began to dissipate slightly.
Qi Xia turned his head inadvertently and noticed Lin Qin standing beside him. She kept her hand pressed over her mouth and nose. "Won't you feel uncomfortable like that?" Qi Xia asked, mimicking her gesture. "Even though the smell here is unpleasant, you'll have difficulty breathing if you keep covering your face."
"Breathing?" Lin Qin was slightly startled, then quickly smiled. "I don't find it hard to breathe, but it always feels strange not to cover my mouth and nose. It’s as if..."
"As if not wearing any clothes," Lin Qin admitted with an embarrassed smile before lowering her hand.
Lin Qin smiled slightly but still felt uneasy, so she covered her mouth and nose with her hand once again.
"I feel a bit self-conscious... Don't you find it uncomfortable?" Lin Qin asked Qi Xia, gesturing towards their uncovered mouths and noses.
"Why would it be uncomfortable?" Qi Xia found her behavior perplexing.
"I'm talking about {masks}..." Lin Qin looked at Qi Xia with a mix of confusion and disbelief, as if observing an alien. "How can you all remain so composed without wearing a {mask}?"
"Mas—" Before Qi Xia could react, a sudden strange light emanated from the distance.
All eyes turned towards the source of the light.
A brilliant glow akin to the hues of a sunset radiated from the exit.
"We’re almost outside!!" Qiao Jiajin shouted with excitement. "I see the sunset light!"
His shout undoubtedly injected a surge of adrenaline into everyone else. Doctor Zhao supported Han Yimo and hastened their pace alongside the group.
‘Sunset?’ Qi Xia pondered briefly before addressing the group. "We woke up at twelve o'clock. After spending a bit over an hour on those {games}, it should be around two o'clock now. Whether it's two in the morning or afternoon, seeing the {sunset} is impossible."
"I think you're overthinking it," Police Officer Li countered, shaking his head. "The time in the room may not be accurate. It could be evening outside by now."
Qi Xia nodded thoughtfully. Police Officer Li was reasonable, after all, their understanding of time relied solely on the room's clock, which might not be accurate.
After advancing a few steps, everyone noticed a dark silhouette near the exit.
As they proceeded, the shadow morphed into a discernible human figure. This person also donned an animal mask that immediately incited a sense of nausea. Unlike the other animal masks, this one wasn't crafted from a single animal's head but was assembled by stitching together various animal parts with woolen thread. His mask featured a mouth resembling a crocodile's, a nose akin to a cow's, a face adorned with fish scales, and a neck crafted from snakeskin. Additionally, sewn onto the mask were a lion's mane and stag's horns.
The mask almost resembled a...
"Hello, I am {Mortal Dragon}," the man behind the grotesquely stitched mask began slowly. "A group where everyone managed to survive? How novel."
Everyone instinctively halted, tension gripping their nerves.
It wasn't that {Dragon} was frightening, but rather that they were all too familiar with this kind of introduction. Every time someone started with such a statement, it heralded a terrifying game.
"Don't be anxious, everyone. Your {trial} has reached its conclusion," Mortal Dragon reassured, waving his hand. It was then that everyone noticed he was also wearing gloves adorned with eagle claws.
All the animal parts on his body were decomposed and swollen, emanating a foul odor. However, he seemed unperturbed as he carried on—
"I'm not here to impose a new {trial}, just to offer you all some advice."
Silent and huddled together, everyone regarded Mortal Dragon with cautious vigilance.
"Ten days. You have ten days to rectify all of this," Mortal Dragon pronounced slowly. "If you fail to attain three thousand six hundred {Dào道} within that time, your world as you know it will be annihilated, and everything before your eyes will perish alongside you."
This brief statement left everyone perplexed.
"Three thousand six hundred {Dào}," Qi Xia frowned, "What are these {Dào} you speak of? You mentioned the annihilation of our world—what do you mean by that?"
"A question? Hehehe, very good," Mortal Dragon nodded approvingly. "Having questions shows you are still quite lucid. As for {Dào}..." Mortal Dragon reached into his black suit pocket, fumbling for a moment before withdrawing four golden orbs. Each orb had a white outer circle and a golden inner circle, emitting a peculiar golden glow all over. "These are {Dào}," Mortal Dragon explained. "With three thousand six hundred {Dào}, there will be salvation."
Qi Xia contemplated for a moment, then extended his hand to accept the small orb. Surprisingly, the sphere felt soft and slightly elastic to the touch.
"Take it, these belong to you," Mortal Dragon said with a smile.
Qi Xia considered for a moment before accepting the four {Dào}.
"You have passed four tests— {Liar}, {Bamboo Shoots After Rain}, {Collapse of Heaven}, {Yes or No}. This is your reward and also your {stakes}."
Everyone had never anticipated that they had gambled their lives for these unassuming orbs, leaving them at a loss for words.
"{Dào}..." Qi Xia furrowed his brow, his expression tinged with helplessness. "So you're saying if we can't collect three thousand six hundred of these small orbs, this place will be annihilated?"
"Hehehe, that's correct. If this place is annihilated... you won't be able to escape," Mortal Dragon affirmed. The fish scales and lion mane on his face shifted with the motion of his nod, which looked quite uncomfortable.
"It seems you possess many of these small orbs. Can't you gather three thousand six hundred yourself?" Police Officer Li asked pointedly. "You're stronger than any of us. Surely, you can find them on your own. Why involve us?"
"Me?" Mortal Dragon sneered, "We are people who have sinned. Those who have sinned cannot attain {Dào}. Only individuals like you, chosen by Heaven, can acquire {Dào} and ultimately become {God}."
"How preposterous!" Zhang Chenze interjected, her arms crossed in front of her chest, her voice tinged with anger. "Do you even realize what you're saying?"